Should I use ammonia to cycle tank with live rock?

EthanHawaii · 02/03/2017, 11:25 PM

Hi, I'm about a week away from cycling my 70 Gallon reef tank and have decided to go with the liquid ammonia method, but I would also be using my live rock that I have in a bucket of saltwater with a powerhead and light so it's still alive, and I'm just wondering if I put the live rock in the tank with saltwater and the ammonia will the abnormally high levels of ammonia kill the live rock and few snails I have?

Thanks,
Ethan

iammrhappy · 02/03/2017, 11:28 PM

I used ace hardware ammonia to cycle my tank. I used 5 ml for my 265 total volume

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EthanHawaii · 02/03/2017, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iammrhappy

I used ace hardware ammonia to cycle my tank. I used 5 ml for my 265 total volume

Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

Ok, thanks.

Did you cycle the tank with live rock in it?
I'm just really worried about the ammonia killing the rock and ruining my tank.

iammrhappy · 02/03/2017, 11:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EthanHawaii

Ok, thanks.

Did you cycle the tank with live rock in it?

It was dry rock.

I did several acid and bleach baths on the rock first.

Then I sun dried the rock for 1.5 weeks

Then I added the rock water salt and ammonia.

RegalAngel · 02/04/2017, 08:16 AM

Put the live rock in the tank and cycle with one of many bacterial supplements, like Seachem Stabiltiy.
So much easier than ammonia.

I have used Stabiltiy for many years and never a problem. Will be starting up a 300g system in a few weeks...Stability will be added to cycle with fish present.

JMHO

EthanHawaii · 02/04/2017, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RegalAngel

Put the live rock in the tank and cycle with one of many bacterial supplements, like Seachem Stabiltiy.
So much easier than ammonia.

I have used Stabiltiy for many years and never a problem. Will be starting up a 300g system in a few weeks...Stability will be added to cycle with fish present.

JMHO

Ok, good idea! I may just do this instead of using ammonia.

Thanks

bertoni · 02/04/2017, 12:09 PM

Personally, I'd just use a bit of fish food, but a lot of approaches will work.

tmz · 02/05/2017, 12:12 PM

I also prefer a bit of fish food as it contains a variety of nutrients bacteria use.

MG98 · 02/08/2017, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RegalAngel

Put the live rock in the tank and cycle with one of many bacterial supplements, like Seachem Stabiltiy.
So much easier than ammonia.

I have used Stabiltiy for many years and never a problem. Will be starting up a 300g system in a few weeks...Stability will be added to cycle with fish present.

JMHO

I'm about to cure/cycle dry rock using ammonia while I work on getting my tank set up. What makes stability "easier" than ammonia? Is it quicker?

RegalAngel · 02/08/2017, 05:21 PM

The many available bacterial supplements provide the necessary nitrifying bacteria....ammonia does not.
What bacteria that are in the water, substrate, etc will use the ammonia to build nitrifying populations of bacteria which will take several weeks to have enough to support multiple fish.
These supplements provide these bacteria in sufficient numbers to support fish from the get-go without having to take the time to produce them.

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iammrhappy · 02/08/2017, 06:10 PM

What I do is add ammonia and add microbacter 7 bacteria and then check. I usually only have to add ammonia once. You can dose ammonia again if you'd like to test if there is enough bacteria to convert the ammonia into nitrite and nitrate

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MG98 · 02/13/2017, 06:56 PM

We are painting what will become the fish room and I still have to find a stand. I started making water today for curing the rock. I'll just go ahead and add only ammonia and will probably stick with that route until everything else is complete.

If I get everything ready and the rock isn't ready then maybe I'll add supplements at that time.

homer1475 · 02/16/2017, 05:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RegalAngel

Put the live rock in the tank and cycle with one of many bacterial supplements, like Seachem Stabiltiy.
So much easier than ammonia.

I have used Stabiltiy for many years and never a problem. Will be starting up a 300g system in a few weeks...Stability will be added to cycle with fish present.

JMHO

Am I the only one that caught this? Your going to cycle the tank with fish present? Even with stability(magic potion in a bottle thats mostly water, and yes I use it in my fresh tanks when I tear them apart to clean them) your putting those poor fish in undue stress and in conditions that could kill them.

It would be like me putting you in my houses septic tank in hopes the bacteria build up fast enough that the ammonia would not kill you.

RegalAngel · 02/16/2017, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by homer1475

Am I the only one that caught this? Your going to cycle the tank with fish present? Even with stability(magic potion in a bottle thats mostly water, and yes I use it in my fresh tanks when I tear them apart to clean them) your putting those poor fish in undue stress and in conditions that could kill them.

It would be like me putting you in my houses septic tank in hopes the bacteria build up fast enough that the ammonia would not kill you.

Actually, that is according to the instructions for Stability.
The bacteria present in Stability will not allow harmful levels of ammonia.

Have done this so many times...works great!
Try it.

http://www.seachem.com/stability.php

"Fish and other aquatic species may be introduced at any time as long as dosage is maintained for 7 days."

bdare · 02/16/2017, 09:20 AM

I don't understand adding bacteria to a tank without some food source for the bacteria.

I thought the nitrification cycle STARTED with bacteria. If you dump bacteria in your tank without a food source doesn't the bacteria just die?

I would think adding both ammonia AND bacteria would be better. The ammonia can come from any source... decaying matter on live rock, a piece of shrimp, or 5 ml of pure ammonia.

RegalAngel · 02/16/2017, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdare

I don't understand adding bacteria to a tank without some food source for the bacteria.

I thought the nitrification cycle STARTED with bacteria. If you dump bacteria in your tank without a food source doesn't the bacteria just die?

I would think adding both ammonia AND bacteria would be better. The ammonia can come from any source... decaying matter on live rock, a piece of shrimp, or 5 ml of pure ammonia.

Exactly why one should add Fish and Food!

EthanHawaii · 02/16/2017, 12:09 PM

So I've decided to just put the live rock in with some of the water it's been in for a few months, and the dead sand with a cup of live sand from a buddies tank and let that be for a few days and then put ammonia in and see if I already have enough bacteria for the fish.

bertoni · 02/16/2017, 05:16 PM

That should be fine.

EthanHawaii · 02/23/2017, 07:23 PM

Thanks everyone for the help!

Here's a picture of the tank!

bertoni · 02/23/2017, 10:08 PM

Looks like good progress!

EthanHawaii · 02/24/2017, 12:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bertoni

Looks like good progress!

Thanks!

EthanHawaii · 02/24/2017, 12:23 AM

I've started putting ammonia in the tank and so far I have put in around 20+ drops and it's only at 0.50ppm ammonia and my target is 1ppm, so should I just keep adding until I'm there?

Thanks

bertoni · 02/24/2017, 12:28 AM

I think 0.5 ppm is fine, and I'd just leave well enough alone, but 20 more drops should be fine, too.

EthanHawaii · 02/24/2017, 12:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bertoni

I think 0.5 ppm is fine, and I'd just leave well enough alone, but 20 more drops should be fine, too.

Sounds good, thanks.

EthanHawaii · 02/24/2017, 01:54 AM

I added 20 drops of ammonia and waited 30min before testing but it's still at 0.50ppm. What is happening?

02/03/2017, 11:25 PM	#1
EthanHawaii Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Victoria BC Posts: 401	Should I use ammonia to cycle tank with live rock? Hi, I'm about a week away from cycling my 70 Gallon reef tank and have decided to go with the liquid ammonia method, but I would also be using my live rock that I have in a bucket of saltwater with a powerhead and light so it's still alive, and I'm just wondering if I put the live rock in the tank with saltwater and the ammonia will the abnormally high levels of ammonia kill the live rock and few snails I have? Thanks, Ethan

02/03/2017, 11:28 PM	#2
iammrhappy Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: 90703 Posts: 812	I used ace hardware ammonia to cycle my tank. I used 5 ml for my 265 total volume Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk __________________ 225 gallon Lee Mar Pizza >

02/04/2017, 12:09 PM	#7
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Personally, I'd just use a bit of fish food, but a lot of approaches will work. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/05/2017, 12:12 PM	#8
tmz ReefKeeping Mag staff Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: West Seneca NY Posts: 27,691	I also prefer a bit of fish food as it contains a variety of nutrients bacteria use. __________________ Tom Current Tank Info: Tank of the Month , November 2011 : 600gal integrated system: 3 display tanks (120 g, 90g, 89g),several frag/grow out tanks, macroalgae refugia, cryptic zones. 40+ fish, seahorses, sps,lps,leathers, zoanthidae and non photosynthetic corals.

02/08/2017, 06:10 PM	#11
iammrhappy Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: 90703 Posts: 812	What I do is add ammonia and add microbacter 7 bacteria and then check. I usually only have to add ammonia once. You can dose ammonia again if you'd like to test if there is enough bacteria to convert the ammonia into nitrite and nitrate Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk __________________ 225 gallon Lee Mar Pizza >

02/04/2017, 08:16 AM	#5
RegalAngel Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: The Redwood Reef Posts: 908	Put the live rock in the tank and cycle with one of many bacterial supplements, like Seachem Stabiltiy. So much easier than ammonia. I have used Stabiltiy for many years and never a problem. Will be starting up a 300g system in a few weeks...Stability will be added to cycle with fish present. JMHO

02/08/2017, 05:21 PM	#10
RegalAngel Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: The Redwood Reef Posts: 908	The many available bacterial supplements provide the necessary nitrifying bacteria....ammonia does not. What bacteria that are in the water, substrate, etc will use the ammonia to build nitrifying populations of bacteria which will take several weeks to have enough to support multiple fish. These supplements provide these bacteria in sufficient numbers to support fish from the get-go without having to take the time to produce them. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N920A using Tapatalk

02/13/2017, 06:56 PM	#12
MG98 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Posts: 81	We are painting what will become the fish room and I still have to find a stand. I started making water today for curing the rock. I'll just go ahead and add only ammonia and will probably stick with that route until everything else is complete. If I get everything ready and the rock isn't ready then maybe I'll add supplements at that time.

02/16/2017, 09:20 AM	#15
bdare Salty Dude Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Rockwall, TX Posts: 1,322 Blog Entries: 3	I don't understand adding bacteria to a tank without some food source for the bacteria. I thought the nitrification cycle STARTED with bacteria. If you dump bacteria in your tank without a food source doesn't the bacteria just die? I would think adding both ammonia AND bacteria would be better. The ammonia can come from any source... decaying matter on live rock, a piece of shrimp, or 5 ml of pure ammonia. __________________ 220 Mixed Reef GeoCaRx, GHL Profilux 4, Octopus Skimmer, Kessil 360X 2 x Maxspect Gyre XF350

02/16/2017, 12:09 PM	#17
EthanHawaii Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Victoria BC Posts: 401	So I've decided to just put the live rock in with some of the water it's been in for a few months, and the dead sand with a cup of live sand from a buddies tank and let that be for a few days and then put ammonia in and see if I already have enough bacteria for the fish.

02/16/2017, 05:16 PM	#18
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	That should be fine. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/23/2017, 07:23 PM	#19
EthanHawaii Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Victoria BC Posts: 401	Thanks everyone for the help! Here's a picture of the tank!

02/23/2017, 10:08 PM	#20
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	Looks like good progress! __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/24/2017, 12:23 AM	#22
EthanHawaii Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Victoria BC Posts: 401	I've started putting ammonia in the tank and so far I have put in around 20+ drops and it's only at 0.50ppm ammonia and my target is 1ppm, so should I just keep adding until I'm there? Thanks

02/24/2017, 12:28 AM	#23
bertoni RC Mod Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Mountain View, CA, USA Posts: 88,616	I think 0.5 ppm is fine, and I'd just leave well enough alone, but 20 more drops should be fine, too. __________________ Jonathan Bertoni

02/24/2017, 01:54 AM	#25
EthanHawaii Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Victoria BC Posts: 401	I added 20 drops of ammonia and waited 30min before testing but it's still at 0.50ppm. What is happening?